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Spotlight | Somalia
Under pressure from Turkish and Qatari sponsors, Farmajo clings to presidency

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. © Li Muzi/Xinhua News Agency/Newscom/MaxPPP

Somalia's president, increasingly isolated in the international arena, saw his term in office end on 8 February. He is desperately seeking support from outside his clan to keep himself in the top job. [...]

Published on 12.02.2021 at 05:00 GMT Reading time 3 minutes

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Politics

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Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame
Abiy Ahmed Ali
Adde Gabow
Ahmed Mohamed Islam
Al Jazeera
Al-Shabaab
Ali Mahdi Mohamed
Ali Mohamed Gedi
Antony Blinken
Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir
Farmajo
Hassan Ali Khaire
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Madobe
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
Mohamed Mursal Sheikh
National Intelligence and Security Agency
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Said Abdullahi Dani
Saneey Abdulle Gaab
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
Somali National Armed Forces
United Nations

Somalia
Former president Farmajo and his inner circle set up home in Qatar

While he waits for the next presidential elections in 2027, former Somalian president Farmajo has decided to take up residence in Qatar, which was the main foreign backer of his regime. His defeat in the elections has not diminished Qatar's interest in Somalia, where it continues to foster its ties.

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Former Somalian President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

Egypt, Somalia
Farmajo-foe Egypt sees hope in Hassan Sheikh's election

After years of choppy relations with former Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as "Farmajo", Cairo is counting on the accession of newly elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud to bring about plainer sailing.

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The new Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud.

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President Farmajo's National Security Adviser has made a mark on both his country and the Somali region of Ethiopia and has been able to deflect attacks from the president's enemies as well as certain Gulf states thanks to his robust network of influence.

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Ethiopia
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

Somalia
Qatar quietly prepares for life after Farmajo

The emirate is distancing itself from the outgoing Somali president and spy chief Fahad Yasin could be the first to pay the price. As a sign of his loss of influence, Yasin is being sued for a raid on a local radio station late last month.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 12.05.2021

Somalia
Farmajo bets the farm on Gulf neighbours

If he loses the financial and logistical support of his Western allies, Somalia's president knows he'll be skating on very thin ice. Expecting this funding to dry up, he is now turning to the Arab world.

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Somalia's president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, aka Farmajo.

Somalia
Farmajo gains the upper hand on Kenyatta in Jubaland

Jubaland minister for internal security Adbirashid Janan has rallied to incumbent president Farmajo in a savvy political coup that is a slap in the face for all of Farmajo's direct political opponents, especially Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

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Somalia and Kenya heads of state Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed aka Farmajo (left) and Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenya, Somalia
Kenyatta tries to sidestep arbitration and resolve border dispute with Mogadishu via Doha

For fear of losing, Kenya has decided to boycott the arbitration hearings at the International Court of Justice on its martime border dispute with Somalia and is hoping to find a solution instead with the help of Doha.

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Somalia, United Kingdom
Boris Johnson dispatches new ambassador despite Somali electoral impasse

With a background mostly in development aid, the new ambassador to Mogadishu Kate Foster will have to be quick on her feet as she has arrived bang in the middle of an unprecedented electoral crisis that has already put her in an awkward position.

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UK ambassador to Somalia Kate Foster presents her credentials to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

Somalia
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President Farmajo is stoking the fire by excluding members of the opposition as he lays down the roadmap for the next election.

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Incumbent Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, aka Farmajo.

Spotlight | Kenya, Somalia, Turkey
Erdogan wades into maritime border dispute between Kenyatta and Farmajo

With the ICJ due to rule on the issue of their maritime borders in a few weeks' time, Nairobi and Mogadishu remain very much at daggers drawn. By dispatching its foreign minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu to the region, Ankara is hoping to become the indispensable mediator between the two countries.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 25.02.2021

Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed aka Farmajo (left) with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame
Abiy Ahmed Ali
Adde Gabow
Ahmed Mohamed Islam
Al Jazeera
Al-Shabaab
Ali Mahdi Mohamed
Ali Mohamed Gedi
Antony Blinken
Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir
Farmajo
Hassan Ali Khaire
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Madobe
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
Mohamed Mursal Sheikh
National Intelligence and Security Agency
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Said Abdullahi Dani
Saneey Abdulle Gaab
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
Somali National Armed Forces
United Nations

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Spotlight | Somalia
Under pressure from Turkish and Qatari sponsors, Farmajo clings to presidency

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Somalia
Former president Farmajo and his inner circle set up home in Qatar

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Farmajo-foe Egypt sees hope in Hassan Sheikh's election

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Farmajo bets the farm on Gulf neighbours

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Indigo Publications' websites

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Spotlight | Somalia Under pressure from Turkish and Qatari sponsors, Farmajo clings to presidency

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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create a free account

Set up email notifications for these topics

Somalia Former president Farmajo and his inner circle set up home in Qatar

Egypt, Somalia Farmajo-foe Egypt sees hope in Hassan Sheikh's election

Inner circles | Somalia How Fahad Yasin patiently forged his reputation as Farmajo's all-powerful spymaster

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Somalia Farmajo gains the upper hand on Kenyatta in Jubaland

Kenya, Somalia Kenyatta tries to sidestep arbitration and resolve border dispute with Mogadishu via Doha

Somalia, United Kingdom Boris Johnson dispatches new ambassador despite Somali electoral impasse

Somalia Farmajo is rescheduling the presidential election and did not invite the opposition

Spotlight | Kenya, Somalia, Turkey Erdogan wades into maritime border dispute between Kenyatta and Farmajo

Ethiopia, Somalia The TPLF point men still disrupting Somali politics

Kenya, Somalia Kenya's Somali community steps up pressure on Kenyatta over border tensions

Spotlight | Somalia UN maps out Somalia's future without consulting African Union

Ethiopia, Somalia Abiy frustrated at Farmajo's lack of support

Horn of Africa IOG and Kenyatta join forces to prevent Somalian president's re-election

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia Why Abiy and Issayas back Farmajo's re-election bid

Somalia, Turkey Erdogan exploits Djibouti summit to consolidate influence in Horn

Spotlight | Document | Somalia How Qatar is taking control of Mogadishu

Set up email notifications for these topics

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Guinea
Behind the scenes of Mamadi Doumbouya's offensive on Russian miner Nordgold

DRC
Dan Gertler's billions of dollars in royalties at heart of huge legal battle

Spotlight | Somalia
Under pressure from Turkish and Qatari sponsors, Farmajo clings to presidency

Somalia
Former president Farmajo and his inner circle set up home in Qatar

Egypt, Somalia
Farmajo-foe Egypt sees hope in Hassan Sheikh's election

Inner circles | Somalia
How Fahad Yasin patiently forged his reputation as Farmajo's all-powerful spymaster

Ethiopia
Abiy takes on Western critics

Somalia
Qatar quietly prepares for life after Farmajo

Somalia
Farmajo bets the farm on Gulf neighbours

Somalia
Farmajo gains the upper hand on Kenyatta in Jubaland

Kenya, Somalia
Kenyatta tries to sidestep arbitration and resolve border dispute with Mogadishu via Doha

Somalia, United Kingdom
Boris Johnson dispatches new ambassador despite Somali electoral impasse

Somalia
Farmajo is rescheduling the presidential election and did not invite the opposition

Spotlight | Kenya, Somalia, Turkey
Erdogan wades into maritime border dispute between Kenyatta and Farmajo

Ethiopia, Somalia
The TPLF point men still disrupting Somali politics

Kenya, Somalia
Kenya's Somali community steps up pressure on Kenyatta over border tensions

Spotlight | Somalia
UN maps out Somalia's future without consulting African Union

Ethiopia, Somalia
Abiy frustrated at Farmajo's lack of support

Horn of Africa
IOG and Kenyatta join forces to prevent Somalian president's re-election

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
Why Abiy and Issayas back Farmajo's re-election bid

Somalia, Turkey
Erdogan exploits Djibouti summit to consolidate influence in Horn

Spotlight | Document | Somalia
How Qatar is taking control of Mogadishu